Concrete sheet-piling and process of constructing the same.



L. B. LANGWORTHY. CONCRETE SHEET P|LTNG AND PROCESS 0E coNsTRucTING THESAME.

APPLICATION FILED N0V.2I. I9I2. 1,1 98,459. Patented sept. 19, 1916.

Mgi'

r irun s LYMAN B. LNGWORTHY,

0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CON CRETE' SHEET-PILIN G AND PROCESS 0F CONSTRUCTING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916..

Application filed November 21, 1912. Serial No. 732,670.

To all 'whom z' may concern Be it known that I, LYMAN B. LANG- won'rHY,a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago,county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Concrete Sheet-Filing and Processes ofConstructing the Same, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide improved means forerecting sheet piling, walls, curbings, casings, caissons, and similarstructures of concrete or similar composition, without the necessity offirst building a form for the structure, as is now usually done; toprovide for conveniently and effectively making such structures frompreviously formed sections, piles lor blocks, at a comparatively smallcost; and to' provide improved means for binding concrete piles orblocks to each other and effectively sealing thejoints.

A specific embodiment of this invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in whichi.

Figure 1 is a. perspective view of a wall-of sheet piling set upaccording to this invention and showing some of the piles bound togetherand sealed according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section ofpart of such wall showing the piles bound together and the jointssealed. Fig. 3' is a cross section of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of one of the piles showing the binding grooves terminating in suchmanner as to form a bottom therefor. Fig. 5 is a modification of one of'such piles tapered on four sides, and with the binding groove extendingdown into the tapered part, and therefore open at the bottom. Fig. 6 isa cross section of a levee with a core made of sheet piling constructedaccording to this invention.

The device shown in Fig. 1 comprises concrete blocks or piles 1 havinggrooves 2 in opposite faces thereof and extending longitudinallythereof. Binding members 3, which may consist of reinforcing wires,extend from the body of the block or pile into each of the grooves.These may be made to engage reinforcing rods l() and may be extended toengage additional reinforcing rods o1` members 9, which are held therebyin the groove or space between the adjoining blocks or piles and whichserve to reinforce the concrete fillings or binders 11, and are sospaced from the body of the block as to permlt the concrete to be pouredaround the Same and down the space between the blocks.v

The piles or blocks may be tapered at the lower end, as at 4, insuitable manner to be drlven 0r forced into the ground, but it will beseen that such taper is not necessary when they are to be used forfoundations for buildings or for cellar walls, or the like, instructures in which it is not necessary to drive or force the piles. i

The groove 2 may be made as shown in F1g. 4 so as to terminate at thelower end 1n an abrupt bottom 5, or this groove may be made to graduallydecrease in depth at the lower end, as shown at 6 in Fig. 5, where thelower end of the groove extends into the tapered part of the pile.

.In constructing a wall according to this invention, these piles areplaced or driven into position side by side with the grooves registeringas shown in Fig. 1, with the ends of the members 3 extending into thegrooves. Concrete in liquid or semi-liquid form is then poured into theopenings formed by the grooves. When this hardens it serves'both as abinder 11 for holding the piles together, anld also as a seal for thejoints between the p1 es. v

The form shown in Fig. 4 is designed to effectually prevent earth fromentering the groove in driving the piling. In the form shown in Fig. 5some earth will enter the groove at the bottom when the pile is driven,but such open form may be effectively used when a considerable part ofthe piling projects above the earth.

In building a wall around the side of an excavation the piles or blocks1 will be placed side to side in similar manner as when they are driven,and the concrete will be similarly filled into the grooves.

It will be understood that it is not essential that the grooves beformed in the 'blocks having parts abutting against each other so astogether to form walls surrounding the space into which the concrete isto be poured.

In the building of levees as shown in Fig.

6, the sheet piling is lirst constructed as hereinbefore described, thepiles being driven partly below the surface of the ground upon which thelevee is to be built, as below the ground level 7, and after the pileshave been bound together and sealed as herein described, earth will beheaped over the piling, as shown at 8 in Fig. 6. This piling eectivelyprevents the burrowing of animals under .the levee and thuspreventsopenings for Water such as eventually undermine levees which are notconstructed with an e'ective core. i

Although but two specific embodiments of this invention have been hereinshown and described, it will be understood that the construction may beconsiderably altered,l

particularly with respect to the form of the grooves, and the manner ofproviding the spaces to be filled with concrete, and that other detailsmay be altered without departing from the spirit of this invention asdefined by the following claims.

I claiml. A water-tight wall comprising a plurality of concretesheet-piles adjoining one another, the abutting faces of said sheetpilesbeing formed with complementary longitudinal grooves one on each side,,the adjacent grooves being arranged for mutual registry and providingtubular spaces between adjacent piles adapted to receive and holdconcrete or the like, bars disposed longiincense tudinally one withineach groove, means disposed mainly within the body of each pile andprojecting into said. grooves, and engaging said bars for holding thesame in place, and a binding filler surrounding the bars in each tubularspace and positively securing the adjacent bars and piles together, saidbars and their said holding means 'being disposed wholly within theirrespective grooves so that the piles are freely movable independently ofone another until the binding :Killer is applied.

2. A water-tight wall of monolithic character, comprising a seriesy ofvertically disposed laterally abutting sheet-piles positively bondedtogether, said piles being longitudinally grooved respectively inregistry on their abutting sides thereby providing a closed tubularspace between each pair of piles, projecting anchorage meansstructurally independent of each other carried by said piles wholly intheir complementary grooves respectively, and concrete or the likeilling the space surrounding said anchorage means and bonding adjacentanchorage means together in positive interlocked relation.

Signed at Chicago this 16th day ot Novernloera 1912. l

LYMAN B. LNGWRTHY..

Witnesses:

i "WM, R. Romeinen,

lnwin lunares.

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